1947 WC Cooling system

[dgrinnan]

Does anyone know what this tube is for and what it connects to at the other end and where the other end might be?   I am working to get the engine ready to try and start it.  I have found a lot of missing items under the hood.  No voltage regulator.  Some missing wiring.  Heater hoses missing.  No fuel line.  I can figure out the wiring and heater hoses but the small tube coming out of the cooling system is a mystery.  See picture. 

Edited December 1, 2021 by dgrinnan

[Young Ed]

I've worked on a few W series trucks and I've never seen that before. Can't imagine what it would be for either.

[Merle Coggins]

It looks like there are adapter housings under the thermostat and water pump connector. I wonder if that's part of an aftermarket accessory of some kind. I've never seen anything like that. You could probably take out both pieces and have a 'normal' engine.  

[dgrinnan]

That is a good possibility.  There is no heater in my truck either.  It might have been removed during the restoration and lost by the estate like a lot of missing parts on my truck.  If I can't find something the water line would run to I will put a plug in it.  Until I get a heater I will need to loop my heater hoses back to the input. 

[Merle Coggins]

If you don't have a heater it's best to cap off the heater ports on the engine. Normally the heater supply comes out of the back corner of the head. I can't see what's there in your picture as it's too dark in that corner. The heater return would be plumbed into that plug at the top of your thermostat to water pump housing. (above the tube in question)

[dgrinnan]

It must have had some sort of strange setup.  The heater return is on the back side of the flange where the radiator hose attaches.  If you look close where I added another arrow you can see another adapter is between the flange and the block with a heater hose inlet/outlet. 

[61spit]

Is it a hollow tube or a solid shaft that could be a handle to a valve?

 

 

[dgrinnan]

You are right. It is a shut off valve.  I had to go take a second look. 

Edited December 2, 2021 by dgrinnan

[dgrinnan]

the inlet at the back corner of the engine is plugged.  Mystery sort of solved.  Not sure why there are two  outlet(s)/inlets(s) at the same place.

[Merle Coggins]

Interesting... Why would one wish to shut off the thermostat bypass? And the second adapter appears to be below the thermostat, which would be hot coolant under pressure, similar to the port at the rear of the head. Was it supposed to get more coolant flow through the heater, in effect making the heater the thermostat bypass circuit with the valve closed? 

Can anyone find this option in a W-Series parts catalog?  

[Merle Coggins]

For now you could just cap off that port below the thermostat so that you can fill the system and run the engine. 

[Sniper]

I wonder if that is some sort of military cold weather heater setup?

[dgrinnan]

The cap at the rear of the engine does appear as if it was a recent change.  It looks like there is teflon tape on the plug threads and the plug is not the same silver as the rest of the engine.  It is just bare metal. 

Edited December 2, 2021 by dgrinnan